Brava: Nossa Senhora do Monte gains its first square and a sports and cultural complex

The parish of Nossa Senhora do Monte, elevated to the category of village five years ago, already has its first square and a sports and cultural complex, which will allow the locality to have a “new dignity”.

These works were inaugurated on Sunday by the Minister of State, Parliamentary Affairs and the Presidency of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Sports, Fernando Elísio Freire, who, in statements to the press, considered investments in the sports area “important” in the strategic measure of “equalizing ” sporting opportunities on all islands.

According to the official, the objective is that regardless of the island or the country's locality, citizens can have access to what is the basic good such as sport and physical activity.

Regarding the interventions in Brava, he stressed that it is a way of “retaining the population, creating more economic dynamics” and allowing “greater attractiveness” for investors and people for holidays, and even for residents.

“We have already inaugurated the sports and cultural complex, we support the city council in the interventions to transform the Mato sports plaque into a multipurpose area, now we are going to move to the town of Palhal as a way of generalizing the practice of sports and equalizing opportunities in the localities”, advanced Elísio Freire .

For his part, the mayor of Brava, Francisco Tavares, considered the inauguration act and the signing of the memorandum for the construction of the sports plaque in Palhal, requalification of the pavement of the Lém multi-purpose park and the application of synthetic grass and rubber in the playground in Mato Grande, as “another big step” towards building “a better Brava”.

"Whoever knew this space and sees it now, will see a space with excellent conditions for sports", considered the mayor.

Regarding the signing of the memorandum of understanding for the financing of the Palhal sports board, he said he responded to a “great need” for that population, which is the only location that has a “considerable number of population”, is far from other areas and that does not had access to a place to practice sports.

In the same vein, the mayor advanced that it is time to start thinking about a covered sports center for the island, which according to him will be another two goals to be achieved in the near future, as well as some interventions on the sports signs of Cachaço, Cova Rodela, Fajã d´Água and Santa Bárbara.

Representing the young people and residents of this community, António Gomes saw the remodeling of the old sign as a “great intervention”, giving “more dignity” to the parish and occupation for young people.

The investment in the space, as explained by Francisco Tavares, came to around 16 million escudos and will make the village gain a gym, a cafeteria, a multimedia center, space for two or three small shops, a large hall for cultural activities with all the conditions for such and, in the sports part, with the total requalification of the multipurpose part with the synthetic floor in acrylic and with night lighting.